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Following the release of Don McLean's most famous song, "American Pie" the crash was forever billed as 'The Day the Music Died.' The crash had a monumental impact on the world of music, fans, and popular culture.
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Richardson ("The Big Bopper") lost their lives, in addition to the aircraft's pilot, Roger Peterson. On that plane, touring musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. On February 3, 1959, a three-passenger plane went down less than six miles from the airport it had just departed. Richardson "The Big Bopper" (top left), Buddy Holly (top right), Ritchie Valens (bottom left), and pilot Roger Peterson (bottom right). Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Lou Diamond Phillips played Valens, and the band Los Lobos recorded the soundtrack.
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His life story was memorialized on the big screen in the 1987 movie La Bamba, which introduced a new generation of music fans to the pioneering Latino performer. A live recording was later released as Ritchie Valens in Concert at Pacoima Junior High. His first, self-titled album was released shortly after the accident and did well on the charts. Only 17 years old when he died, Valens left behind a few recordings. The tragedy was later memorialized in the Don McLean song "American Pie" as " The day the music died." Legacy As the news of the accident spread, many were shocked by the loss of these three talents. All four passengers-Richardson, Holly, Valens and the pilot-were killed. Richardson also traded places with another original passenger, Waylon Jennings.ĭuring a light snowstorm, the plane took off but it only traveled about five miles before crashing into a cornfield. According to some reports, Valens won a seat on the plane in a coin toss with Holly's guitarist Tommy Allsup. Holly had chartered a plane to get there after experiencing trouble with his tour bus. The tour was set to perform the next day in Moorhead, Minnesota. On February 2, 1959, the Winter Dance Party tour played the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Over three weeks, these performers were set to play 24 concerts across the Midwest. The tour featured such acts as Holly, Dion and the Belmonts and Richardson. In January 1959, Valens went on the road with the Winter Dance Party tour. He also appeared on Alan Freed's Christmas Show around the same time. Riding the success of his latest single, Valens entertained a national audience on American Bandstand in December 1958. Valens was not a native Spanish speaker and had to be coached on the all-Spanish-language song. While not as big a hit, "La Bamba" was a revolutionary song that fused elements of a traditional Mexican folk tune with rock and roll. Valens had even greater success with his second single, which featured "La Bamba" and "Donna." "Donna," an ode to his high school girlfriend Donna Ludwig, became a popular ballad, eventually climbing as high as the number two spot on the pop charts. Keane also encouraged the young singer to shorten his last name to "Valens" to make it more radio friendly. The song, "Come On, Let's Go," became a minor hit. Valens auditioned for Keane's record label in May 1958, and before long, he had his first single out on Del-Fi. Career Highlights, "La Bamba" and "Donna" With Keane's help, the young performer was posied for a career breakthrough. The group played local gigs, and Valens was spotted at one of these performances by Bob Keane, the head of the Del-Fi record label. He found inspiration from various sources, ranging from traditional Mexican music to popular R&B acts to innovative rock performers like Little Richard.Īt 16 years old, Valens joined his first band, the Silhouettes.
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However, the guitar soon became his passion. Growing in Pacoima, Valens developed a love of music early on and learned to play a number of different instruments. The tragedy was later immortalized as "the day the music died" in the song "American Pie." Early Lifeīorn Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, California, Valens made history as rock music's first Latino star. He recorded numerous hits during his short career, most notably the 1958 hit "La Bamba." Valens died at age 17 in a plane crash with fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson on February 3, 1959. Ritchie Valens was a Mexican American singer and songwriter influential in the Chicano rock movement. Mexican American musician Ritchie Valens is best known for his hit "La Bamba." His successful career was cut short when he died in a plane crash at age 17.